American Handgunner March/April 2013 Digital Edition - Page 55

HORNADY LOck-N-LOAD MARk HAMpTON cLASSIc kIT GET STARTED IN RELOADING! veryone has their own reasons for handloading. Come to think about it, you really don’t need a good reason. Thirty years ago, when I first started loading, economics played a major factor. Back in the day, I also hunted with a wildcat cartridge. With no factory offering available, I had no choice but to load my own. Many shooters like the ability to tailor a specific load delivering superb accuracy from a particular firearm. Hunters find it gratifying to take game with ammo they’ve made themselves. It’s just plain satisfying to reload, regardless of the reason. I have some friends who are reluctant to jump into reloading. They know me and should realize if I can safely load accurate ammunition, anybody can! The Hornady LockN-Load Classic Kit is a great way to get started. This well-thought-out kit makes getting into reloading simple. It includes a single stage press, powder measure, digital scale, three Lock-NLoad die bushings, primer catcher, priming system, handheld priming tool, reloading block, chamfering and deburring tool, powder trickler and funnel and a can of case lube. It’s virtually everything you need. One of the most important items in the box is Hornady’s Handbook of Cartridge Reloading. I would strongly suggest to read this book — twice. It’s loaded with valuable information and truly provides a great resource for shooters. This informative manual clearly provides step-by-step instructions taking the handloader through each phase of the process. It’s a most comprehensive 1,080 pages of useful data; so light up WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM E A cartridge tray with cases ready for powder moves to the correct position for charging. hornady’s kit has the essential bits for reloading. Resizing (returning the cartridge case to proper dimensions) can be accomplished during the same step as you de-prime the case. the hornady Manual explains this process in detail. A caliper will assist the handloader in many ways. checking the cOL (cartridge overall length) for the particular bullet/cartridge is essential. it’s all listed in the hornady handbook. hornady’s unique Lock-n-Load bushing system allows you to change from loading one cartridge to another, or one die set to the next stage. a good cigar and enjoy the reading. Yes, there’s a lot of free reloading information on the Internet. Be very cautious using this information with specific loads. Unlike the internet, the Hornady 8th Edition Manual is packed with solid, tested, evaluated and proven data you can take to the bank. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to pick up another reloading manual or three and read them front to back too. They’re all full of info which just may keep you out of problems down the road. the internet, the hornady 8 edition ManUal is packed with solid, “Unlike tested, evalUated and proven data yoU can take to the bank. ” th Setting Up Once you break open the kit and get your bench organized, you’ll need a set of dies (to form the cartridge you choose), shellholder for the appropriate cartridge, calipers, cases, bullets, primers and powder. The Hornady Reloading Manual will help direct your selection process with the components. As you’re skills and interests change, you’ll likely want to purchase additional accessories. One of the neatest features in this kit is Hornady’s unique bushing system letting you change dies painlessly with a twist of the wrist. Simply insert a standard die into the Lock-NLoad bushing, put the bushing into the press and lock it with a twist. It’s held in place with locking lugs. After adjusting your die to the proper position, lock your setting with Hornady’s Sure-Loc ring. When you want to change calibers, just twist the die and remove and insert your next preset Lock-N-Load die and bushing. The positive locking action holds the dies securely in perfect alignment. Whoever came up with this innovation deserves the gold star! The Lock-N-Load Classic Kit from Hornady makes taking that first step into reloading simple and easy. The kit is a bargain — the personal satisfaction is free. You’ll wonder why you didn’t get started sooner. For more info: (800) 338-3220, www. americanhandgunner.com/hornady * 55